The Bloodstone Prophecy - Book 2 (complete)

Chapter 23 - Reinforcements

Kami could feel the creature's pain as it exploded in all directions, then she felt a floating sensation. When she opened her eyes, she saw a dark creature with three heads. At least she thought she did. But as her vision sharpened and adjusted, she could see the heads belonged not to one neck, but three. Samuel, Haji and Chris stared down at her anxiously. One of them flashed a light in her face and she winced against it. The light moved away from her and onto Samuel. His mouth was moving, but she couldn't understand.

"Can you speak louder?" she asked.

He bent down close to her ear. His voice was still faint, but she could hear him now. The blast must have done something to her hearing. At least she was still alive.

"... So sorry," Samuel said. "I didn't know. Chris tried to warn me, but it was too late. Guess I was a little trigger happy."

"It's okay," Kami said, struggling to sit up. The blackness engulfed her again and she fell back to the ground.

"Why don't you rest a bit," Chris suggested.

"I'll be okay in a minute." It was a lie. Her head felt like it was split open, but she decided against telling them. Samuel already seemed to be flogging himself over it.

"Does someone have an Excedrin? Or twenty?" she asked.

The guys all checked their pockets and shrugged. She groaned.

"Wait," Haji said. "We have a first aid kit in the jeep."

He jogged over, rummaged through it and brought her a bottle of pills and a flask of water. She shook out a couple pills and swallowed them. She breathed slowly in and out. Her vision was still a little blurry and her head still ached something fierce. She thought of her grandmother and friends. Unless she could heal from this, she wouldn't be able to fight. There's no way she could enter a creature's mind in this state. Tear pricked her eyelids and mortified, she squeezed her eyes shut. There was no way the guys were going to see her crying. They would think the tears were from the pain, which wasn't the real reason.

"I'm not trying to rush you Kami, but we should leave before the creatures come back," Haji said.

She answered by sitting up, then standing carefully as Chris and Samuel steadied her. They helped her walk to the jeep and climb into the passenger seat. All the way back to Haji's house, Samuel and Chris talked excitedly about the fight. Haji didn't have much to say. He looked upset about something. A few miles into the drive, Kami closed her eyes and tried to rest, but the lurching vehicle and her pounding head made it next to impossible. She hoped the pills would kick in soon.

When they arrived back at Haji's house and walked in, she was surprised to hear men's voices murmuring and arguing. She peeked in the room where Haji's father had told them about the shadow warriors. Gedo and Haji's father stood in the corner and were surrounded by men. They were sitting, standing, crouching. The room was crammed full. She walked in hesitantly and it fell silent. She could feel all eyes on her, the only girl in the room. Now this was uncomfortable.

Gedo took pity on her and stood up, tucking his hand under her elbow and walked in the kitchen with her. She could hear the conversation resume in the other room.

"Who are all those people?" Kami asked.

"Men from Al Farafra, and some friends from Cairo who used to be police officers. I brought them. They have agreed to help us rescue your Neina and the others. We are planning our strategy."

"Sounds more like arguing than agreeing in there," Kami said.

"Yes, well, they don't trust each other much," Gedo said. "I must return to them." Kami nodded.